Automatic additive dispenser



p 6,1969 A. w. ELLIOTT, JR 3,466,900

AUTOMATIC ADDITIVE DISPENSER Filed Oct. 11, 1967 INVENTOR. ALLEN w. ELLIOTT JR WWW ms ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,466,900 AUTOMATIC ADDITIVE DISPENSER Allen W. Elliott, J12, Brookfield, Ill., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 11, 1967, Ser. No. 674,573 Int. Cl. D06f 29/00, 35/00 U.S. C]. 6817 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to fabric washing machines and, more particularly, to additive dispensing arrangements for such machines. In order for automatic washing machines to be truly automatic they should include means for automatically dispensing additives such as bleach. It has been known for a number of years that bleach should be diluted before it is added to clothes washing machines and that its additition should be delayed a sufiicient time to allow the fluorescent dyes in detergents to be effective. There have been a number of arrangements proposed for dispensing additives such as bleach, none of which has been totally satisfactory.

For instance, Patent 3,035,431, Smith, is an example of the approach of storing the bleach in a container outside the wash receptacle and using a separate pumping action to add the diluted bleach to the wash receptacle at the desired time. Such arrangements are unduly complicated. This makes their initial cost excessive and causes them to be excessively subject to failure.

Patent 3,068,680, Knerr et al., shows an example of another approach, in which the bleach storage container is connected in the path of water being recirculated for filtering purposes. Such arrangements are simpler than the remote container type. However, prior art devices of the type like Knerr et al. are erratic as to when the bleach is dispensed. They normally have been connected in direct communication with the stream of recirculated water and, thus, depend on the rate of flow to time the dispensing. In many machines the size of the clothes load being washed effects the recirculation flow rate. Most present day washing machines are multispeed machines and the recirculation flow rate varies with the selected speed of opeartion. Therefore, dispensing arrangements such as that shown by Knerr et al., will dispense at different times, dependent on the clothes load and selected speed of operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement for dispensing additives in a washing machine.

Another object is to provide such an improved arrangement which is simple, easy and sure in operation.

A further object is to provide a new and improved dispensing arrangement which operates substantially in- 3,466,900 Patented Sept. 16, 1969 ice dependently of variations in the flow rate of the stream of recirculated water.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By my invention I provide an improved additive dispensing arrangement for use in a washing machine adapted to proceed through a cycle of operation including a wash step and a centrifugal extraction step; the machine having a rotatable receptacle to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid; an agitator mounted on a generally vertical axis within the receptacle, and drive means for powering the agitator to wash fabrics and rotating the receptacle to centrifugally extract liquid from the fabrics. This additive dispensing arrangement includes an additive storage container for mounting about the agitator to form a liquid receiving well therebetween. The storage container has a metering inlet exposed to the well and an outlet. The storage container has a volume greater than the additive to be dispensed and both the inlet and outlet are above the normal level of additive in the container. Pump means is connected to remove liquid from the receptacle during the wash step and direct it into the well. At least a portion of that liquid flows into the container, through the metering inlet, admixes with the additive and causes overflow of the admixture through the outlet to the receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a clothes Washing machine incorporating one embodiment of the present invention, the view being partly broken away and partly in section for illustration; and

FIGURE 2 is a partial perspective view of the additive storage container of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of the machine of FIGURE 1, illustrating certain aspects of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGURE 1, there is shown a clothes washing machine of the generally vertical agitator, spin basket type, incorporating one embodiment of the present invention. An outer appearance cabinet 1 is provided with a bottom bulkhead 2, welded or otherwise secured within the casing to provided a water collection tub 3 and a machinery compartment 4. Disposed within the latter compartment is a frame 5, mounted for gyratory movement about a pivot point (not shown) located in a transfer structural member at the base of the cabinet. The frame carries a drive motor 6 disposed with its shaft projecting vertically downward. The shaft has a drive sheave and its end is attached to the rotor of a pump 7, which receives liquid from the tub 3 by Way of a screened inlet 8 in the bulkhead 2, the inlet being attached to the pump by an inlet hose 10. A discharge hose 11 leads from the pump 7 to provide for discharge of liquid from the washer by some suitable means such as by the discharge hose hooking over the side of a laundry tub to discharge the spent washing and rinsing liquid thereinto. The motor 6 is of the reversible, split-phase, induction type commonly used in washing machines. As is well understood in the art, when the motor operates in one direction, it operates the agitator for washing and rinsing functions, and, when operated in the other direction, it rotates the clothes basket for centrifugal extraction 3 of liquid from the basket and the fabrics therein. The pump 7 may be of any of the well known types so that, when the motor is operating in the spin direction, the pump removes water from the tub 3; and, when the motor is operating in the wash direction, the pump is generally ineffective, as a pumping mechanism.

A transmission 14 is mounted within the frame and has a casing 15 about the lower portion of which a circular concentric skirt 16 provides a driven clutch element. Within the skirt 16 there is a unidirectional clutch 17 of a type well known in the art. The clutch is fixed to a sheave 18, from which a belt 20 connects with the motor shaft. When the motor operates in the spin direction the clutch 17 engages the skirt 16 to rotate the housing 15 therewith. By means of a conventional slip clutch 21 of the coil spring type, the rotation of sheave '18 in the wash direction transmits torque to the transmission 14; while clutch 17 is disengaged from the skirt 16 so that the drive torque is not transmitted to the housing 15. It will be understood that any conventional breaking or snubbing device (not shown) may be used to restrain rotation or oscillation of the casing 15 during the washing operation. During the spin operation, the clutch 21 slips relative to the transmission 14, whereupon no torque is transmitted thereto. The details of construction of one suitable transmission of this general configuration are illustrated and described in US. Patent No. 3,145,553, McMillan, assigned to the General Electric Company, assignee of the present invention.

A sleeve 23 extends from the transmission and is secured to a fixture 24 on which is mounted a liquid and fabric receiving receptacle or basket 25; so that, when the transmission housing is rotated as aforesaid, basket 25 rotates therewith. A flexible rubber boot 26 is fixed to the sleeve 23 and bulkhead 2 to prevent passage of liquid into the machinery compartment while permitting gyratory movement of the sleeve 23 relative to the bulkhead 2. A coil spring 27 between the frame 5 and a damping device (not shown) on the underside of bulkhead 2 serves to damp excessive gyrations, as is well known in the art.

Within the basket 25 and coaxial therewith is an agitator 28. The agitator includes a relatively large center post 30, from which extend a plurality of vanes 31, the vanes being arranged as a spiral about the post 30. The agitator is secured to the splined upper end 32 of an agitator shaft 33, which extends downwardly through the agitator and through the sleeve 23 to the transmission 14. During the wash and rinse steps, the transmission 14 is effective to cause the shaft 33 to oscillate about its axis which, in turn, causes oscillation of the agitator. The shaft 33 is disposed within a sleeve 34 which is connected at its upper end to a depending flange 35 formed in the interior of the agitator shaft 30. The lower end of sleeve 34 forms a portion of a pump structure 36, which is mounted on the agitator for movement therewith. A cap 37 is threaded to the upper portion of the splined end 32 and holds the agitator assembly together during operation. Thus during agitation operations the agitator and pump oscillate together with the agitator shaft 33 about a generally vertical axis. The vanes 31 cause relative motion of the fabrics and fluid to effect cleaning of the fabrics and fluid is drawn inwardly through openings 38 by the pump 36 and forced upwardly through the annular passage 39, formed between the sleeve 34 and the agitator post 30. Appropriate openings 40 are formed adjacent the top of the agitator for the egress of the fluid. Additional details of structure of the agitator shaft and pump arrangement and a more complete description of the manner of operation of a suitable pump of this type are found in the aforementioned McMillan Patent 3,145,553.

The basket 25 is generally frusto-conical in shape and is imperforate except for a row of apertures 41 through which fluid is ejected into the tub 3 during the centrifugal spin operations of the basket. A ring 42 of heavy material is carried at the top of the basket to contribute a stabilizing influence during spin. A solenoid operated water valve assembly 43 has an inlet 44 arranged to be connected to a hot water supply and an inlet 45 arranged to be connected to a cold water supply, whereby hot, cold or warm water can be delivered into the basket 25 by way of a valve outlet 46, as is well known in the art. The top panel 47 of the casing 1 has an access lid 48 and a control compartment 49 in which are located various control devices, including a time cycle controller 50 which conducts the washing machine through a cycle of operation.

A filter pan 51 is mounted about the upper end of the agitator, below the openings 40, by means of a set of interfitting ribs 52. A suitable gasket 52::- is received between the agitator and the inner edge of the filter pan to limit fluid flow therebetween. The pan includes an imperforate outer wall 53 and a perforate lower wall 54. Thus the fluid pumped through the openings 40 eventually will be received in the filter pan 51 and will flow outwardly through the perforations in the lower wall 54 and return to the basket 25.

A dispenser 55 for an additive such as bleach is loosely mounted around the agitator post and within the filter pan 51. As may best be seen in FIGURE 2, the dispenser is generally annular in shape, including a lower wall 56, a radially inward vertical wall 57 and a radially outer vertical wall 58. The inner wall 57 is higher than the outer wall 58 so that the top wall 59, which joins them, generally slopes from the inside to the outside, although it may be provided with an oppositely inclined inner edge 60. A depending flange 61 is formed adjacent the radially inner edge of the bottom wall 56 and a member of spaced ribs 61a extend radially outward of the flange 61 along the bottom wall 56. Viewing FIGURE 1 it will be seen that, when the dispenser 55 is resting within the filter pan 51, the flange 61 and ribs 61a engage the bottom wall 54 of the filter pan so that the bottom of the dispenser is spaced vertically from the bottom wall of the filter pan. Thus, although the dispenser extends outwardly over the perforations in the filter pan, a fluid path is formed so that the flow of fluid out of the filter pan is not impeded.

An opening 62 is provided in the top wall 59 for the insertion of a suitable additive to the interior of the dispenser and this opening is surrounded by an upstanding wall 63 which extends from the top wall 59 so that washing fluid flowing over the top wall will not enter the additive opening or inlet. The bottom wall of the dispenser may include a raised portion 64 which is in alignment with the additive inlet 62 and is raised to a height corresponding to the appropriate amount of additive. Thus it will not be necessary for a user to have some measuring device for the additive. The user instead may insert additive into the dispenser until the level of the additive reaches the top of the raised portion.

A metering fluid inlet 65 is formed in the radially inner wall 57 and a fluid outlet 66 is formed in the radially outer wall 58. A shield 67, in the form of an extension of the top wall 59 extends over the outlet 66 so that fluid flowing across the top wall 59 will not enter the outlet 66. It will be noted from the height of the raised portion 64 that the dispenser is provided with a volume which is substantially greater than the amount of additive it is desired to dispense and that both the fluid inlet 65 and the outlet 66 are positioned above the normal level of additive in the dispenser. The significance of this will be evident from a description of the mode of operation of the dispensing arrangement.

It will be seen from FIGURE 1 that the dispenser is spaced from the agitator post 30 so as to form a well 68 therebetween. Assuming a suitable amount of an additive, such as bleach, has been placed in the dispenser and the dispenser placed in the filter pan; during the agitation operation the wash liquid will be pumped upwardly through the agitator post by pump 36 and will egress through the openings 40 in the agitator. A very small portion of this fluid flow outwardly between the flange 61 and the bottom wall 54 of the dispenser or downwardly between the agitator and the filter pan; however, most of it builds up and forms a body of fluid in the well 68.

The total volume of the wall 68 is fairly small with respect to the flow rate of the stream of recirculated liquid. Thus the well quickly fills with liquid regardless of variations in the flow rate caused by differences in clothes load size or the selected speed of operation. Thereafter, the recirculation flow keeps the well full and the excess liquid flows over the top wall 59 and through the filter pan, back to the basket 25. A metered portion of the liquid flows through inlet 65 and admixes with the additive to dilute it. After a suitable time delay enough liquid will have entered the metering inlet 65 to fill the dispenser to the level of the outlet 66 and, thereafter, the admixture of additive and washing liquid will exit through the outlet 66 into the filter pan 51 from whence it will flow through the perforated bottom wall 54 back to the basket 25. Thus the additive is introduced to the basket in a properly diluted state and with a suitable time delay.

The inlet 65, outlet 66 and the volume of the dispenser are sized to accomplish several purposes. The proper amount of dilution of an additive such as bleach will be obtained, the desired amount of time delay will be accomplished, and enough fluid will flow through the additive dispenser during the wash rinse step to dispense substantially all of the additive to the basket 25. The time delay is controlled by the dispenser substantially independent of the recirculation flow rate. The size of metering inlet 65 controls how fast liquid enters the dispenser to fill it to the level of outlet 66. Since well 68 fills quickly and remains full regardless of the recirculation flow rate, this time delay is substantially independent of the recirculation flow rate.

Since the dispenser is mounted loosely in the filter pan, the dispenser will slip with respect to the filter pan during oscillation of the agitator. The inner surfaces of the dispenser are smooth, except for the small raised portion 64. Therefore, the body of fluid in the dispenser tends to remain stationary as the dispenser oscillates about it. This insures that the fluid entering inlet 65 will be added to progressively different portions of the contained fluid body.

When the agitator and filter pan rotate during a spin extraction step the dispenser slowly will come up to speed and eventually spin with the filter pan. This centrifugal operation will cause at least most of the residue of fluid remaining in the dispenser at the end of the wash or rinse step to be spun out of the dispenser through the outlet 66. There is a similar slippage of the dispenser with respect to its contained fluid during the spin operation so that the flow through outlet 66 is from continuously difierent portions of the contained fluid.

Thus, the dispensing arrangement described herein provides a dispenser which will properly dilute and insert an additive with an appropriate time delay and will automatically clean the dispenser of residue at the completion of each operation.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a washing machine adapted to proceed through a cycle of operations including a wash step and a centrifugal extraction step; a receptacle to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid; an agitator mounted on a generally vertical axis within said receptacle; drive means for powering said agitator to wash fabrics; an additive dispensing arrangement, including:

(a) an additive storage container for mounting about said agitator to form a liquid receiving well therebetween;

'(b) said storage container having a metering liquid inlet exposed to said well and an outlet, said container having a volume greater than the additive to be dispensed, said inlet and outlet being above the normal level of additive in said container;

(0) pump means connected to remove liquid from said receptacle during the wash step and direct it into said well, a portion of that liquid flowing into said container, through said metering inlet, to admix with the additive and cause overflow of the admixture through said outlet to said receptacle.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said receptacle is rotatably mounted and is driven by said drive means to centrifugally extract liquid from the fabrics, and said agitator and container are mounted for rotation with said receptacle during the extraction step; said outlet being positioned in a radially outer portion of said container so that rotation of said container during the extraction step will cause residue in said container to be expelled through said outlet.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said container includes a top wall having an opening therein for insertion of additive; said inlet being sized to permit only part of the recirculated liquid to enter said container, other of said recirculated liquid flowing over said top wall back to said receptacle; and means associated with said top wall to prevent recirculated liquid entering said additive opening.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3 further including shield means as positioned between said well and said outlet to prevent liquid flowing over said top wall from entering said outlet.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said container includes a bottom wall, with a portion thereof in alignment with said additive opening being raised to the level corresponding to a predetermined desirable amount of additive to be dispensed.

6. For use in a washing machine adapted to proceed through a wash step and a centrifugal extraction step; a rotatable receptacle to receive liquid and fabrics to be washed in the liquid; and having an agitator mounted on a generally vertical axis within said receptacle; drive means for powering said agitator for washing fabrics and rotating said receptacle to centrifugally extract liquid from the fabrics, the agitator rotating with said receptacle; a perforated filter pan mounted on the upper portion of said agitator for movement therewith; pump means for recirculating liquid from said receptacle upward within said agitator and outwardly to said filter pan and thence through the perforations therein back to said receptacle during the wash step; and additive dispensing arrangement, including:

(a) an additive storage container for mounting about said agitator within said filter pan, said container including a radially inner wall spaced from said agitator so that a well is formed to receive liquid recirculated by said pump;

(b) said container having a radially outer wall, a metering liquid inlet formed in said inner wall above the normal level of additive in said container so that recirculated liquid will enter from said well and admix with the additive, an outlet formed in said outer wall above the normal level of additive in said container for the admixture to overflow into the filter pan and thence to the receptacle;

(0) said container being mounter for movement With said agitator so that rotation thereof during the extraction step will cause residue in said container to be expelled through said outlet.

7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said container includes a top wall having an opening therein for insertion of additive; said inlet being sized to permit only part of the recirculated liquid to enter said container, other of said recirculated liquid flowing over said top wall back to said receptacle; and means associated with said top wall to prevent recirculated liquid entering said additive opening.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said container includes a bottom wall, with a portion thereof in alignment with said additive opening being raised to 7 8 the level corresponding to a predetermined desirable References Cited amount of additive to be dispensed. UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. The invention as set forth in claim 6 further including shield means as positioned between said well and said g fi a1 53 outlet to prevent liquid flowing over said top Wall from 5 3091954 6/1963 Bungck 22 68 18 entenng 531d Outlet 3,330,135 7/1967 Douglas 68-18 10. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein said container includes spacing means extending from the bot- ROBERT L BLE-UTGE, P i E i tom thereof to engage said filter pan, whereby at least the majority of said perforations are exposed for passage of 10 recirculated liquid and additive. 68-18 

